Canada's Up With the Birds Targets Japan Cup

Sam-Son Farm's homebred Up With the Birds, Canada's Horse of the Year for 2013, is expected to make his next start in the prestigious $5.2 million Japan Cup (Jpn-I) Nov. 30 at Tokyo Racecourse.



"That's the plan as we speak," said trainer Malcolm Pierce Oct. 17 in reference to the 1 1/2-mile turf event. "He's invited and we're just starting to put the paperwork in order, because it's a big process. It's an honor (to be invited). It's a trip of a lifetime."



The 4-year-old son of Stormy Atlantic  —Song of the Lark, by Seeking the Gold, was a fast-closing second in the Knickerbocker Stakes (gr. IIIT) Oct. 11 at Belmont Park over yielding ground. Overall, he's won seven of his 14 lifetime starts, including the Breeders' Stakes and Jamaica Handicap (gr. IT) last year. He won Canada's two richest races for juveniles in 2012, the Cup and Saucer on turf and the Coronation Futurity on Polytrack.



So far this year, Up With the Bird's only win in five starts came in the 1 1/8-mile Nijinksy Stakes (Can-IIT) at Woodbine July 19. The bay colt has career earnings of $1,375,909.



"He came out of the Knickerbocker really well. He came out of it 100%," Pierce said. "The turf was really yielding and soft. He got himself so far back."



Regarding the Japan Cup, Pierce said, "Timing-wise, it gives him a good six weeks (between races). It's going to be a lot of travel. I think it's 15 hours for the horses on a plane. They have to stop and refuel. He's got to get from here to either Chicago or New York to fly to Japan.

"And if we want to spend a week at the track (before the race), which is what I'd like to do, in order to get a final workout over the track, I think they're talking about us leaving here on Nov. 15, 15 days before the race. But it would be the trip of a lifetime." 



Past winners of the Japan Cup, which is run counter-clockwise, similar to North American racing, include such stars as Lando (1995), Singspiel (1996), Pilsudski (1997), El Condor Pasa (1998), Falbrav (2002), Deep Impact (2006), and Gentildonna, winner in 2012 and 2013.



Singspiel won the 1996 edition of the Canadian International (Can-I) and was second in the Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) at Woodbine prior to his Japan Cup effort.